"I wish I could tell everyone who thinks we’re ruined, Look closer…and you’ll see something extraordinary, mystifying, something real and true. We have never been what we seemed."

When beautiful, reckless Southern belle Zelda Sayre meets F. Scott Fitzgerald at a country club dance in 1918, she is seventeen years old and he is a young army lieutenant stationed in Alabama. Before long, the “ungettable” Zelda has fallen for him despite his unsuitability: Scott isn’t wealthy or prominent or even a Southerner, and keeps insisting, absurdly, that his writing will bring him both fortune and fame. Her father is deeply unimpressed. But after Scott sells his first novel, This Side of Paradise, to Scribner’s, Zelda optimistically boards a train north, to marry him in the vestry of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and take the rest as it comes.

What comes, here at the dawn of the Jazz Age, is unimagined attention and success and celebrity that will make Scott and Zelda legends in their own time. Everyone wants to meet the dashing young author of the scandalous novel—and his witty, perhaps even more scandalous wife. Zelda bobs her hair, adopts daring new fashions, and revels in this wild new world. Each place they go becomes a playground: New York City, Long Island, Hollywood, Paris, and the French Riviera—where they join the endless party of the glamorous, sometimes doomed Lost Generation that includes Ernest Hemingway, Sara and Gerald Murphy, and Gertrude Stein.

Everything seems new and possible. Troubles, at first, seem to fade like morning mist. But not even Jay Gatsby’s parties go on forever. Who is Zelda, other than the wife of a famous—sometimes infamous—husband? How can she forge her own identity while fighting her demons and Scott’s, too? With brilliant insight and imagination, Therese Anne Fowler brings us Zelda’s irresistible story as she herself might have told it.

Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, 1921.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): world of make-believe

I found it fascinating to read about the behind-the-scenes relationship of what could have been between this celebrity couple of the 1920s - especially a couple involved in the world of authors and books.

The ups, downs and ugliness of this couple's relationship are revealed to be just as entertaining to read as reading about the sordid characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's works.

The English Free Company series suffers from a gender imbalance. Largely owing to the subject matter, which focuses on medieval military, the number of leading female characters is few. In fact, it is just one at the moment, a young woman named Catherine who works as a court astrologer. In the novel, no surname is given for Catherine, although it is clear that she is well-known in court circles. This might sound rather odd, suggesting an oversight on my part or signaling a dismissive attitude towards the character, but neither conclusion could be further from the truth. Rather, the use of a single name to reference this important character is meant to reflect her ambiguous position in society as an unmarried woman and independent agent engaged in an unconventional profession.

When I was approaching the question of how to include female characters, I immediately decided to avoid the three ‘p’s: princesses, peasants and prostitutes, all stereotypes that plague historical fiction. While I quite understand the appeal of these sorts of women, whether for romance, redemption or raunchiness (more alliteration!) none of them could be sustained for long in my series without her eventually being burdened by one of the literary tropes. Therefore, I sought out someone who would be original, memorable and free to move around with the series. The trouble with this search is that in the Middle Ages, women on the whole were never left to wander about alone. Even high-born ladies, with a few exceptions, were by law and custom tied to her lord or manor. Naturally, the lower classes had it worse. Even an emancipated prostitute offered limited possibilities for my narrative purposes. All that was left, then, were nuns and middling sort of women who practiced unconventional arts, such as natural healing or astrology.

As an astrologer in the Middle Ages, particularly in the wealthier parts of Europe, a woman like Catherine would have enjoyed a lucrative and mobile career. She is clearly educated, clever, attractive in an exotic way, emotionally strong, and morally erect, at least to the world. Yet, to be successful she should retain a sense of mystery, since she needs to display a special almost mystical connection with the arcane knowledge of astrology. This is one reason why she does not reveal her family name, which was the main badge of identity, or her place of birth, which could also have served as a surname. This ambiguity, instead of making her an outcast, which she already is to a degree, gives Catherine power. After all, she could be anybody!

By assuming the single name Catherine, the lady astrologer associates herself with as saintly legacy. The Catholic Church is filled with holy Catherines, and so the name serves as a sort of charm. People in the Middle Ages sincerely believed in the power of patron saints to protect, and so their choice was never take lightly. For example, 4th c. Catherine of Alexandria was a master of arts and philosophy, beautiful enough the attract the attention a Roman emperor, and remained a virgin when martyred, while 14th c. Catherine of Siena was a church reformer and involved in power politics. Contemporaries of my Catherine would have made the connection. A second name would have just got in the way.

Astrology was one of the most independent, if not lonely, careers. Catherine’s decision to pursue this profession, therefore, is quite revelatory of her character. So much is required to become successful at it – study, soliciting clients, solitude – that there must be a lot more to her than meets the eye. This gives me the opportunity to gradually spin out her story over the course of several novels, as well as get her to the places that I need her to be. Catherine the astrologer, companion and advisor to the English Free Company, can stand on her own two feet!

For lovers of the glamour and scandal of the roaring twenties and the millions of fans eagerly anticipating the return of Downton Abbey (the third season opens in the twenties), an illustrated lifestyle guide to the fashion, the parties, the notrious personalities, and all the glittering trappings from the unforgettable era of the flapper.

Bright Young Things is a perfect guide to the roaring twenties--hot jazz and hotter all-night dance halls, high society's scandalous exploits, fresh new fashions, Prohibition cocktails, costume parties, and of course, the notorious flapper. Decorated throughout with art deco illustrations and packaged in a beautiful foil-stamped case, this book looks stunning resting on a coffee table and makes a fabulous gift.

PeekAbook:

Table of Contents

Welcome, You Bright Young Thing

The Bright Young State of Mind
The Postwar Party
How to Be Bad: The Flapper Life
Liberated Ladies: Meet the Iconic Flappers
Learn the Lingo: The Flapper Vernacular
Across the Pond: Meet the Bright Young People
Rubbing Elbows: Meet the Mayfair Set
Host a 1920s-Themed Scavenger Hunt
Cause a Scandal: Bright Young Shenanigans
Choose a Mentor: Bright Young Influencers
Further Reading: Start Your Own Roaring Book Club

Dress Like a Bright Young Thing
The Sartorial Rebellion
Flirting with Fashion: Flapper Wardrobe Essentials and Accessories
Bright Young Faces: Bold Beauty Tips
Chop Chop!: Get Your Own Bobbed Look
Not Your Father’s Suit: Casual and Formal Looks for the Modern Man
Sporting a Bowtie: How to Properly Tie One On

Hook Up (and Get Hitched)
A Roaring View of Marriage
The Flapper Bride: What to Wear for a Trip Down the Aisle
In the Spotlight: Bright Young Celebrity Couples
Read All About It: Scandals in the Tabloids
Mad About the Boy: Homosexuality in the 1920s

Throw a Scandalous Soirée
The Never-Ending Party
Throw Your Own Bath and Bottle Party
Plan Your Own Red and White Party
Party like a Bright Young Thing: Themes for Your Next Fête

Dance All Night
The Jazz Age
Roaring ’20s Playlists: Tunes for a Big Night Out . . . and the Morning After
Dance Crazy: Learn the Steps to the Charleston
Speak Easy: The Underground Social Scene
Where to Be Seen: “It” Clubs Abroad
Come to the Cabaret
Cabarets for the Modern Flapper
Nightlife Royalty: Famous Musicians, Dancers, and Club Owners

English Free Company series:
Of Faith and Fidelity
Of Fathers and Sons

Of Fathers and Sons is the second book in the English Free Company series set in the late Middle Ages. The English Free Company is led by Geoffrey Hotspur, an orphan-squire and ward of the mighty Duke of Lancaster, whose driving ambition is to become a knight and serve a great lord. Anyone who enjoys the stories of Bernard Cornwall and Jan Guillou will find more than an echo of their exuberant prose and lively characters in Of Fathers and Sons: Geoffrey Hotspur and the Este Inheritance. Supported with extensive research done by a professional historian, Of Fathers and Sons utilizes true personages and events to weave a vivid tapestry of this exciting time of transition.

Of Fathers and Sons: Geoffrey Hotspur and the Este Inheritance takes place in 1395 when the conflict between rival branches of the mighty Este family over the succession to the strategic Marquisate of Ferrara reaches its climax. The Este lands are vulnerable. The unexpected death of the powerful Marquis Alberto d'Este in 1393 has left his ten-year old son, Niccolo, as his sole direct heir. Though born out of wedlock, the pope himself legitimized the boy’s birth, but in an age when great lords ruled by the sword as much as by the laws of inheritance, having a boy lead the family can be a sign of weakness.

Made unhappy by the father, several Este vassals want to humble the son, and they see their opportunity in the essential weakness of Niccolo’s minority rule. Championing their cause is the head of a humiliated branch of the Este family who is not only a famous condottiere, but also a powerful captain of the ambitious lord of Milan. Fearing that civil war will lead to a shift in the already fragile balance of power in favor of the hated Milan, the city-states of Florence, Venice and Bologna combine to keep the Este inheritance in Niccolo’s hands. If Niccolo falls, the great powers of Italy will be plunged in to war.

Geoffrey and Niccolo are confronted by the same questions: How can an orphan find his place in a society informed by patriarchal relations? For how long must a son honor the wishes of his father? When does the boy become the man?

Before Henry won his miraculous victory at Agincourt, before the Borgias became infamous, before Constantinople fell to the Turks, there was Geoffrey Hotspur, a man as tall as Charlemagne and armed with a sword that rivaled Excalibur. With little money, fewer friends and no name, Geoffrey Hotspur has little choice but to forge his own path towards knighthood.

A thrilling continuation of the story of Geoffrey Hotspur and his English Free Company, Of Fathers and Sons: Geoffrey Hotspur and the Este Inheritance is at heart a squire’s tale of hope, adventure and ambition in a time of great uncertainty.

About the Author:
Evan Ostryzniuk was born and raised on the prairies of western Canada. After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan with a B.A. in History and Modern Languages and an M.A. in Modern History, Evan crossed the ocean to do post-graduate work at the University of Cambridge, concluding four years of research with a doctoral thesis on the Russian Revolution. He then found his way to Eastern Europe, where he took up positions as a magazine editor, university lecturer and analyst in the financial services sector before rising in the ranks of the local publishing industry to become Editor-in-Chief of a popular weekly.

Evan Ostryzniuk currently resides in Kyiv, Ukraine near a very large candy factory. He has travelled extensively, including the locations of his novels. Of Fathers and Sons: Geoffrey Hotspur and the Este Inheritance is his second novel.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): chivalrous destiny
I love this time period and setting so it was not hard to like this book at the start. Journeys and coming-of-age themes also captured my interest in this story.

The descriptions of the setting, action scenes and interactions between characters really drew me into the story.

DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School! Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him--but he'll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.

This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

Zombie sighting:"So you're not a zombie."
-page 107, chapter 13

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): night of the critters
Still enjoying this series with this latest addition. I like the friendship development and learning more about what is "behind" Lovecraft Middle School.

I am drawn to this series because of the combination of the awesome morphing cover (see it in action here), illustrations on the inside and short quick storyline.

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

Everyone has days, weeks, even months they wish they could do over—but what about an entire year? After living through the worst twelve months of her life, intensive care nurse Olive Watson is given a second chance to relive her past and attempt to discover where she went wrong…

After a year of hardships, including a messy breakup with her longtime boyfriend Phil, the prospect of her mother’s remarriage, and heartbreaking patient losses at the hospital, Olive is ready to start fresh. But when she wakes up in her ex-boyfriend’s bed on New Year’s Day 2011—a day she has already lived—Olive’s world is turned upside down.

Shouldering a year of memories that no one else can recall, even Olive begins to question herself—until she discovers that she is not alone. Upon crossing paths with Sherry Witan, an experienced “repeater,” Olive learns that she has the chance to rewrite her future. Given the opportunity of a lifetime, Olive has to decide what she really wants. Should she make different choices, or accept her life as she knows it, flaws and all?

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): think holistically

Loved this concept of an extended groundhog-kind-of-day. I liked how this book got me thinking of past and present experiences and how they can affect the future if mindful of those experiences.

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces!

Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

This sweet, tart, lightly-spiced decaf tea combines the flavors of ripe peach, sour apple, and an aromatic pinch of spice to create a peachy caffeine-free blend worth swooning for — much like everyone’s favorite aloof romantic hero, Mr. Darcy, who has been similarly transporting literary swooners since Jane Austen first premiered him in her 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice.

Plagued by gold-digging social climbers? Familial expectations got you down? Still lacking a pair of fine eyes with which you’d like to share your humongous estate? Need a tea that will stand up to your broodingly handsome visage? Well, look no further, jaded gentlepersons: this tea’s for you — and a little for the bookworm crushes of my youth, as well as Colin Firth, too.

What if Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was told from a cat’s point of view?

On the heels of smash hits like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I Can Has Cheezburger, this hilarious mash-up by children’s author Pamela Jane and photographer Deborah Guyol spins a fresh, quirky take on two of the things we just can’t get enough of: classic cats and classic Jane.

Pride and Prejudice and Kitties juxtaposes wacky photos of cats with the wicked humor of Jane Austen, and it’s just in time for the 200-year anniversary of the publication of the original Pride and Prejudice.

At precisely nine o’clock, Fitzwilliam Darcy and his lovely wife, Elizabeth, walked through the double wide doors to the large parlour. Beautiful white linen table cloths were draped across several tables. Fresh flowers and candles decorated the tables. Fine china plates and teacups awaited the distinguished guests’ hands to claim them during tonight’s evening tea. The finest teas would be served as well as an assortment of scones and jam, fresh fruit, and rout cakes.

Three tables had been set up in anticipation of an evening of cards, and the pianoforte had been pulled out from the corner. A beautiful candelabra rested on top.

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy walked over to the young and stately Georgiana Darcy, who had come down earlier to rehearse her piece on the pianoforte.

“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied with a smile and a nod. “I heard you practicing earlier and I know the guests shall be delighted with your performance on the pianoforte.”

Georgiana looked down, a blush tinting her fare cheeks. “I hope so.”

Mr. Darcy put his arm about his sister. “You have no need to worry, Georgiana. I have every confidence that our guests shall be delighted.”

They all turned towards the door as they heard their guests approach. “Come,” said Mr. Darcy. “Let us greet our guests.”

Several guests had been residing at Pemberley for the past few days. Jane Bingley, Elizabeth’s sister, and her husband Charles, had come to visit them from Hertfordshire with the hopes of searching the nearby countryside for a suitable manor to purchase. They had discovered one just the day before that was not thirty miles away.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Jane and Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle, were also visiting from London. They had become frequent and welcomed guests since Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth married.

Long-time family friends of Mr. Darcy’s, Mr. and Mrs. Fellows, had come to Pemberley with their two daughters, who were both just a little bit older than Georgiana. The three young ladies had become very good friends over the years.

Elizabeth invited the couples in and directed them to the tables of tea and cakes, informing them that they could sit around the tables and Georgiana would play her first piece shortly.

When the last of the guests came through, Elizabeth followed them in. Georgiana was enjoying visiting with her two friends. Darcy was about to walk in when he saw someone he did not recognize walking down the wide hall towards him.

Darcy’s eyes widened as he took in the dress and all-together dishevelled look of the man. He could not imagine how this man came to be here. He was certainly not a well-bred gentleman. He quickly closed the door and stepped out.

“Who are you? I insist to know who you are!”

The man laughed while Darcy scrutinized him warily.

“Me name is Cap’n Smith. Ye don’t remember me?”

The man’s white teeth could barely be seen because of his dark bristly beard. He wore a tri-corn hat, and his wayward hair extended down in curls almost to his shoulders.

“I certainly do not, and I insist to know what you are doing here!”

“I’m come to evenin’ tea. Ye need to ’ave another person to make the tables even.”

Darcy leaned in to him. “Ye’ll…” He cleared his voice. “You will do no such thing! I demand you leave at once!” Darcy’s brows lowered as he pointed to the man’s clothing. “How dare you come here dressed as… as…”

Captain Smith looked down at himself and gave a wave over his clothes with his hands. “Might ye be thinkin’ I looks like a pirate?”

Darcy nodded, barely able to reply. The man wore a white ruffled shirt with billowy sleeves, a red sash around his waist, and boots with gold garish buckles. His nod slowly turned into a vehement shaking of his head. “I insist that ye… that you leave!”

Captain Smith rubbed his jaw with his hand, fingering his beard as he did. “I’m afraid that’d be quite impossible.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Just then the door opened, and Elizabeth peeked her head out. “Fitzwilliam, the guests are waiting. Shall I…” She stopped as she noticed the additional guest. “Captain Smith! How good it is to see you, again!”

Darcy turned abruptly. “You know this… this…”

“I most certainly do.” She turned to the captain. “Would you care to join us tonight?”

“He’s doing… he is doing no such thing! I insist that he leave.”

Both Elizabeth and the captain let out a long sigh. Elizabeth took her husband’s arm. “My dear, since you do not seem to remember, Captain Smith is actually…” She bit her lip. How was she to tell him?

“Yes?” Darcy asked. “He is actually what?”

“You!” both exclaimed at the same time.

Darcy’s jaw dropped. He turned from the captain, to Elizabeth, and then back to the captain. Then he noticed something. “How’d ye get that scar above your eye?” He did not bother to correct his speech, but brought his hand up and touched the scar above his own eye.

“There, ye see? Me thinks he is startin’ to remember!” the captain said with a glint in his eye.

“I remember nothing, but again insist you leave. We have guests here, and I do not want to subject them to the likes of ye… you!” Darcy let out a huff.

“Now, now dearest, certainly you remember how you had to impersonate the pirate to help the authorities capture him? They asked you to help them because you looked so much like Lockerly.”

“Who is Lockerly?” he asked.

Elizabeth and the captain both answered, “The pirate!”

Darcy steepled his hands and brought them up to his chin. “I find this extremely vexing. But I cannot allow him to come in, and I especially will not have you in the same room as my sister!”

“But ye told ’er all about me an’ yer pirating adventures. While she couldn’t believe ye would do such a thing, she did get a few laughs out o’ it.”

She looked up at him with admiring eyes. “Because I had been taken prisoner by Lockerly. You came to my rescue! At least Captain Smith came to my rescue.” She then turned to the captain. “I did find the captain to be the most gallant, brave, handsome, and kind young man I had ever met!” She and the captain exchanged warm, knowing glances. “I do believe I fell in love with him!”

“I will hear no more of this!” Darcy said. “You fell in love with me! Now Captain Smith, as I said before, I insist that you leave these premises!”

The door opened again and Georgiana stepped out. “Is anything amiss?” She looked at the captain. “Oh, my! Is this truly him? I have so longed to meet you!” She came up and grasped Captain’s Smith’s hands. She reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

Captain Smith stole a glance at Darcy, who was giving him a severe warning look. “I am her brother, remember!” the captain reminded Darcy.

Georgiana tucked her hand around the captain’s arm. “Come! You must join us this evening! Most already know about you, except our friends the Fellows, but they shall enjoy hearing all about your adventures!

Georgiana and the captain walked into the parlour.

Elizabeth sighed. “You have nothing to worry about with him, dear. He will be the perfect gentleman!”

Darcy shook his head. “Ye must know that I am worryin’ more about meself than him! Why am I talking like this?”

~*~

There was a knock on the door, and Darcy lifted his head with a start. He shook his head as he tried to clear his thoughts and remember where he was and – more importantly – what he ought to be doing.

Evening tea! The dream! It seemed so real meeting himself as Captain Smith.

Darcy looked at the clock on the mantel and gasped. It was almost nine o’clock! How had he come to fall asleep when guests were about to come down for evening tea?

“No, I have not forgotten. I…” He paused. “I just had the most vivid dream, Elizabeth. I dreamt Captain Smith came to the tea and I did not know who he was!”

Elizabeth laughed and took his hand. “That would have made for quite a lively evening, my dear. But come, the guests are waiting.”

~*~

To find out why Darcy is talking like that, who Lockerly and Captain Smith are, and what happens when Elizabeth is captured by the pirates, you will have to read “Pirates and Prejudice” available soon at amazon.com and other online booksellers.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

After the delicious ices have been properly enjoyed, we take our seats to listen to another special guest author reading...

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by June Williams
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

Thank you for inviting us for Tea at Pemberley!

Our book, Headstrong Girls, is a collection of short stories written by Debra Anne Watson, June Williams, and Enid Wilson. The stories are all inspired by our favorite headstrong girl, Lizzy Bennet. The following outtake is from “No Cupid Contract,” a modern short story by June Williams in which Lizzy is a mailroom clerk at Pemberley Holdings.

~*~

Mrs. Long was petrified with fear. She had never had a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Darcy, and now he’d asked her for a “personal” meeting at a coffeeshop. It didn’t sound like he was going to fire her, but why did Pemberley’s CEO want to meet her? She was just a lowly clerk at Pemberley.

She got off the bus stop in front of the coffeeshop and was surprised when Mr. Darcy himself hurried to the door to open it for her.

“Am I late? I’m sorry, I’m limited to the bus driver’s schedule.”

“Please don’t apologize, Mrs. Long. I should have asked if you needed a ride.”

They sat at a table. He’d arrived earlier and had ordered several cookies and sandwiches, but she was too nervous to eat.

“Mr. Darcy, am I in trouble?”

“No! You’re not in trouble at all. I just wanted to talk with you – on a personal level – about what happened yesterday at our childcare facility.”

“When Lizzy Bennet’s ex tried to kidnap her son, Stephen?”

He nodded, looking uncomfortable.

“I wish Lizzy were here. She always knew how to set people at ease. She is a wonderful asset to Pemberley.”

“I agree.” He missed Miss Bennet but understood why she and the baby were now in hiding. He took a deep breath. “Mrs. Long, what you did yesterday was absolutely heroic and brilliant. You prevented a kidnapping, at personal risk to your own safety.”

“I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Lizzy is my friend, she loves her baby, and she has given me help whenever possible.”

“I’m learning more each day about what a fine person she is – and what excellent people we have here at Pemberley. It’s time I begin acknowledging that, but we don’t have a program for this type of employee recognition.”

Mrs. Long thought about it. “No, I don’t suppose this falls into any standard category for employee behaviour.”

“What I’d like to do is to give you something on a personal basis – not from Pemberley, but from me, as a fellow friend of Miss Bennet’s. Would that be acceptable to you? It means you wouldn’t have to pay taxes on it.”

She was startled. “Oh. Oh, yes, that would be nice. A small gift card from a store or something?”

Darcy chuckled, then handed her a gasoline card.

“I don’t have a car.”

“You do now.” He stood and led her outside to the curb, where a new mini-van was parked. He handed her the keys. “You and your four nieces and nephews will fit, I believe.”

She was speechless, unable to speak for several seconds. "I don't deserve this."

“Mrs. Long, you should be proud of your role in stopping a criminal from getting Miss Bennet’s baby.”

“Criminal? Lizzy said he was her ex.”

“Let me correct myself: a suspected criminal, who is now on the road to justice.”

“Criminal?” Mrs. Long repeated in a squeaky whisper. “I got into a shoving match with a criminal? I feel faint.”

Darcy hurried her inside the coffeeshop, where they still had their drinks and refreshments waiting; the diminutive widow was in shock.

I wonder how Mrs. Long will feel when I tell her that the man she fought with – George Wickham – may be charged with first degree murder, Darcy mused.

~*~

To find out if George Wickham gets convicted of first degree murder, you’ll have to read “No Cupid Contract” in Headstrong Girls, available at Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, and Lulu.com.

Mr. Darcy sips his tea before introducing special guest author, Karen Wasylowski, who will read about a future Mr. Darcy in her latest tale, Sons and Daughters.

~*~

Have you come up with any reasonable story yet?” Hands in his pockets Fitzwilliam glared down at his sons.

Amanda shook her head in doubt. “Tell me again what sort of punishment this is meant to be.” The two little fellows sat side by side on the bottom step of the front staircase, scratching elbows and knees, looking anywhere but at their father.

“Well, since neither will tell me which one dropped the flour bag I am making them sit here until they come up with any plausible explanation.”

“I’m still a bit vague on this. How will that help you determine which one to punish?”

“They’ll have to decide together. If they‘re able to come up with one convincing tale I’ll accept it. But they cannot leave that step until they do agree on one.”

“And you are certain this is the position you wish to take?”

“It is.”

"I will never understand you."

“It was me, Papa.” Mark winced when his brother’s sharp elbow dug into his side. “Well, it was.”

“No, Papa, it was me,” countered Matthew.

“See, not good enough. You still don’t agree. Now, give it another go.” The little faces leaned toward each other.

“I’ll share a secret with you both – if you tell me the truth the punishment will be less severe.”

“It was me,” whispered Matthew.

Mark nodded. “Yeah, it was him. But he’s very young.”

Fitzwilliam tried not to chuckle as he took a glum faced Matthew by the hand. The two walked silently into the library and when they reappeared a few moments later Matthew was rubbing his bottom, but evidently was not overly upset since he hopped up onto his chair and immediately began reaching for food.

“Before either of you eat, I want you to apologize to your cousins for that unprovoked attack at our front door.” With the wives fussing over baby Luke elsewhere, and the Fitzwilliam day maid hiding in a cupboard, the two fathers were the only functioning adults in the room.

“But it was though, Papa – provoked, I mean. First, to be clear on this, what exactly does provoke mean?” Precise to his core and always good natured Mark was duty bound to explain the twins’ abysmal behavior. However, he was also a detail man and, as usual, becoming bogged down with them.

“It means you are nasty boys and it means that you are wicked.” Kathy crowed, taunting with her little sing song voice, smiling cheerily at her older brothers because anytime they were in trouble was a cause for celebration. “It means you cannot have cake ever again and crows will peck out your eyes.”

“Kathy, where do you learn such nonsense?” Fitzwilliam grasped her little cup of milk before it toppled from the table but failed to save her silverware.

“They’ll peck your eyes out, Beef!” shouted Matthew and Georgie, retaliating as always in unison. “And eat your brains – if they can find any! Yeah they will!” Matthew expanded on their previous comment and stuck out his tongue.

“Enough. All of you. Anyone who is shorter than I will henceforth cease to speak.” Darcy’s commanding voice sounded severe as he cut into edible pieces the small ham slice that had been sitting, untouched, before his daughter for nearly twenty minutes. “Eat something, Anne Marie – anything. I beg of you. At least one bite. How does your mother succeed with this and I do not?”

“Mama sings to me.”

“Yes, she sings to me also. How lucky we both are. Now eat at least the little bit that is on this fork. Please.” He turned to Mark. “And, ‘unprovoked’, my charming young hooligan, means that there was no just cause for the attack, neither upon your Aunt Lillibet nor upon your uncle – old what’s his name.”

Mark Fitzwilliam laughed heartily at what Darcy had just said, as if Darcy were the wittiest man alive.

Actually, hunger had overtaken his senses and he wanted done with all questions. He reached for his fork. Darcy’s arched eyebrow stopped him cold.

“No, Mark, you must answer the question first. Explain why you are tossing flour from the windows.”

“The salt is locked away.”

There was momentary silence.

“Darcy, you’re getting nowhere with this vague line of questioning. When it comes to my children you must attack with precision, leave nothing ambiguous. Watch carefully and learn. Matthew, what provocation – close your mouth, Mark – what purpose was there for your attack upon Uncle Wills and Auntie Lillibet?”

“It wasn’t meant for Uncle Wills. We love him and Auntie Lillibet.” Matthew reached for a jar of preserves but could not get them without unsettling the pitcher of milk; his father immediately righted the pitcher and brought the jar nearer. “Thank you, Papa. Put the strawberries on my scone?”

“Please…?” Prompted his father.

“I already said you could, Papa.”

“No, no, no, that is not what I meant, son. You should say…never mind. Now, these are not strawberries, Matthew. These are raspberries. Do you understand me, boy?” Fitzwilliam placed a large dollop of the raspberry preserves onto his son’s scone and then sliced the scone into several smaller pieces. He pushed the plate over to Mathew.

“Well, never mind then.”

“Whatever is keeping your mother so long?” Fitzwilliam mumbled as he stretched to look over his shoulder.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS, a sequel to Karen V. Wasylowski’s 'DARCY AND FITZWILLIAM' (which was itself a continuation of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE), again follows the iconic Fitzwilliam Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. Now we see the two battling best friends as loving husbands and doting fathers, older and a bit wiser, making the sacrifices, the difficult (and frequently unpopular) decisions that men must make for the good of their families and we see their large brood of offspring - the ‘Fitzwilliam Mob’ - grow from childhood to adolescence then on into adulthood. Along the way, Darcy and Fitzwilliam are viewed by their children first as heroes, then as the enemy, but eventually as mortal human beings and the children’s adored champions once again.

Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, have dabbled in tea blends for some time and present their creations tonight. They have dubbed the various teas with the names of some guests at this event (see list below).

Elizabeth Bennet takes a sip of her specially made tea blend and is quite intrigued.

Fitzwilliam Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam couldn't be more different, and that goes for the way each one woos and pursues the woman of his dreams. Darcy is quiet and reserved, careful and dutiful, and his qualms and hesitations are going to torpedo his courtship of Elizabeth. His affable and vivacious cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam is a military hero whose devil-may-care personality hides the torments within, until he finds himself in a passionate, whirlwind affair with a beautiful widow who won't hear of his honorable intentions.

Cousins, best friends, and sparring partners, Darcy and Fitzwilliam have always been there for each other. So it's no surprise when the only one who can help Darcy fix his botched marriage proposals is Fitzwilliam, and the only one who can pull Fitzwilliam out of an increasingly dangerous entanglement is Darcy...

Pride & Prejudice meets Veronica Mars in this slick romantic spy-thriller where nothing’s as it seems.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She's busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she's sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her "nothing amazing," it's no loss for Berry. She'll forget him in no time. She's more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother's death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can't Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

~*~

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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Mr. Darcy's tea was quite delightful! He is being congratulated all-around from admiring souls.

But now, let us gather around and listen to another reading that is in progress.

This one from special guest up and coming author in our Regency times, Jane Austen. She will read from her latest work.

~*~

Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter.

The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some time through a beautiful wood, stretching over a wide extent.

Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road, with some abruptness, wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; -- and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!
-Volume III, page 283 of Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition

Pride and Prejudice
A miniature pop-up version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, much abridged
Most of the illustrations are by Hugh Thomson,
from a version of Pride and Prejudice published in 1894.
from Green Chair Press
check out more pics here

“Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure,” Elizabeth Bennet tells Fitzwilliam Darcy in one of countless exhilarating scenes in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The remembrance of Austen’s brilliant work has given its readers pleasure for 200 years and is certain to do so for centuries to come. The book is incomparable for its wit, humor, and insights into how we think and act—and how our “first impressions” (the book’s initial title) can often be remarkably off-base. All of these facets are explored and commemorated in Celebrating Pride and Prejudice, written by preeminent Austen scholar Susannah Fullerton. Fullerton delves into what makes Pride and Prejudice such a groundbreaking masterpiece, including the story behind its creation (the first version may have been an epistolary novel written when Austen was only twenty), its reception upon publication, and its tremendous legacy, from the many films and miniseries inspired by the book (such as the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Colin Firth) to the even more numerous “sequels,” adaptations, mash-ups (zombies and vampires and the like), and pieces of merchandise, many of them very bizarre.

Interspersed throughout are fascinating stories about Austen’s brief engagement (perhaps to the man who inspired the ridiculous Mr. Collins), the “Darcin” pheromone, the ways in which Pride and Prejudice served as bibliotherapy in the World War I trenches, why it caused one famous author to be tempted into thievery, and much more. Celebrating Pride and Prejudice is a wonderful celebration of a book that has had an immeasurable influence on literature and on anyone who has had the good fortune to discover it.

Like the man himself, this elegant, dark tea, grown in rich soil, with a bold beginning yet a smooth finish has a complexity of character that will leave you wishing to know more.

Distinctive notes of leather, chestnut and plum in this well respected Da Hong Pao Oolong. Each steeping introduces you to more of it's character. Good for 6 steepings Gong Fu style or 3 British style.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

After the tea serving, everyone assembles into the salon for another reading. Mr Darcy's dear friend, Miss Charlotte Cavendish, introduces another special guest author who will be reading something inspired by Kitty Bennet...

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Alexa Adams
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

On a brilliant April morning the entire Rosings party journeyed in two coaches to Hunsford, there to attend the Easter service. It was a weary Kitty that took her seat in the de Bourgh pew between Georgiana and Mrs. Jennings, having weathered three harrowing days of misery. For the good of the Darcys, she submitted to hearing Lady Catherine’s thoughts on her rejection of a baronet, hoping that she might stem the tide of her displeasure. Never had the great lady, except perhaps in her rector, found someone as totally compliant with her opinion in all things. Miss Bennet readily agreed that rejecting Sir James was a rash and foolhardy thing to do, that if she should ever be so fortunate as to receive a second proposal from him (which is just what she should not expect), she would certainly respond very differently, and that she would live to bitterly regret her ingratitude. Kitty had not known herself to be ungrateful, but so acute was her misery that she readily accepted the charge, adding it to her growing list of sorrows. Unfortunately, Kitty feeling the situation just as she ought did little to relieve Lady Catherine's chagrin. She would discuss it again and again, and when ready ears were not to be found at Rosings, she called those residing at the parsonage into service.

If Miss Bennet’s rejection of Sir James was a blow to Lady Catherine’s sensibilities, do feel for poor Mr. Collins, whose agony each time he reflected on the many livings Sir James might have in his gift threatened an apoplectic fit. Having few other avenues to vent his spleen, he carried it with him to the pulpit. The familiar themes of Easter were distorted into a lecture on submission and loyalty, particularly the responsibilities of daughters to their families.

Let us note in Kitty’s favor how well she maintained her countenance throughout the past few days. She would like to have spent a great deal more time crying into her pillow than she had allowed herself to do, only indulging in the luxury after performing her role in the evening’s activities and retiring for the night. But as Mr. Collins carried on, becoming more and more explicit in his meaning, she knew she could not endure any more. It was when he came to the following – through what convolutions of theology she knew not – that Kitty was driven to act: “So right the proverb: Man proposes, God disposes! May every daughter fulfill her duty by accepting any advantageous proposals God has been so benevolent as to place before her.”

Hurt, depressed, and plagued by her brother and hostess, the only means Kitty could devise for putting an end to such pointed sentiments was by removing herself – so clearly their object – from the audience. Rising with as much dignity as she could muster, she slid past Mrs. Jennings and out the pew, quickly making her way to the door. Mr. Collins last words - “Let every maiden clothe themselves in the mantle of gratitude and loyalty, for nothing else so well becomes her!” – echoed in her ears as she escaped to the fresh air.

The churchyard was deserted, and though the sun shone through the trees, Kitty thought she had never beheld a more dismal scene. Gazing up where the glittering rays danced with the leaves, the light pricked her eyes, summoning ready tears, and she submitted to all her feelings of hopelessness.

“My dear Kitty! Do not make such a spectacle of yourself!” came the voice of Mrs. Collins.

Kitty turned around to see her ever-stoic sister holding forth a handkerchief encouragingly. Though she had her own, Kitty accepted the offer and dried her eyes. “I do not know what can be the matter with me!” she lamented.

“Do you not? You seemed to feel Mr. Collins’ words just as you ought. I am afraid, dear sister, that this is only the beginning of your repentance. I hope you do not have cause to regret your actions all of your days, but if you do, know I am here to provide whatever solace you may find in the balm of sisterly consolation.”

Kitty stared at Mary in horror, at a complete loss for words to express the extent of her irritation at this little speech. Rather than respond, she dashed off in the direction of Rosings, running directly into the dazzling sunlight.